APPLE Project: 2-y findings of a community-based obesity prevention program in primary school age children - PubMed (original) (raw)
APPLE Project: 2-y findings of a community-based obesity prevention program in primary school age children
Rachael W Taylor et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Sep.
Free article
Abstract
Background: Developing effective strategies for obesity prevention in children is urgently required.
Objective: We determined the effectiveness of a 2-y controlled community-based intervention to prevent excessive weight gain in 5-12-y-old children by enhancing opportunities for healthy eating and noncurricular physical activity.
Design: Children (n = 730) from 4 intervention and 3 control schools underwent measurements of height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, diet, and physical activity at baseline and at 1 and 2 y. Intervention components included nutrition education that targeted reductions in sweetened drinks and increased fruit and vegetable intake and activity coordinators who managed an activity program that focused on noncurricular lifestyle-based activities (eg, community walks).
Results: Body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) z score was significantly lower in intervention children than in control children by a mean of 0.09 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.18) after 1 y and 0.26 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.32) at 2 y, but the prevalence of overweight did not differ. Waist circumference was significantly lower at 2 y (-1 cm), and systolic blood pressure was reduced at 1 y (-2.9 mm Hg). An interaction existed between intervention group and overweight status (P = 0.029), such that mean BMI z score was reduced in normal-weight (-0.29; 95% CI: -0.38, -0.21) but not overweight (-0.02; 95% CI: -0.16, 0.12) intervention children relative to controls. Intervention children consumed fewer carbonated beverages (67% of control intake; P = 0.04) and fruit juice or drinks (70%; P = 0.03) and more fruit (0.8 servings/3 d; P < 0.01).
Conclusion: A relatively simple approach, providing activity coordinators and basic nutrition education in schools, significantly reduces the rate of excessive weight gain in children, although this may be limited to those not initially overweight. This trial was registered at Australian Clinical Trials Registry as #12605000578606.
Similar articles
- Two-year follow-up of an obesity prevention initiative in children: the APPLE project.
Taylor RW, McAuley KA, Barbezat W, Farmer VL, Williams SM, Mann JI; APPLE project. Taylor RW, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Nov;88(5):1371-7. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2007.25749. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008. PMID: 18996874 - Reducing weight gain in children through enhancing physical activity and nutrition: the APPLE project.
Taylor RW, Mcauley KA, Williams SM, Barbezat W, Nielsen G, Mann JI. Taylor RW, et al. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2006;1(3):146-52. doi: 10.1080/17477160600881247. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2006. PMID: 17899632 - Beverage intake among preschool children and its effect on weight status.
O'Connor TM, Yang SJ, Nicklas TA. O'Connor TM, et al. Pediatrics. 2006 Oct;118(4):e1010-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2005-2348. Pediatrics. 2006. PMID: 17015497 - [Simple obesity in children. A study on the role of nutritional factors].
Weker H. Weker H. Med Wieku Rozwoj. 2006 Jan-Mar;10(1):3-191. Med Wieku Rozwoj. 2006. PMID: 16733288 Review. Polish.
Cited by
- Community-based interventions for enhancing access to or consumption of fruit and vegetables among five to 18-year olds: a scoping review.
Ganann R, Fitzpatrick-Lewis D, Ciliska D, Peirson L. Ganann R, et al. BMC Public Health. 2012 Aug 30;12:711. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-711. BMC Public Health. 2012. PMID: 22931474 Free PMC article. - Promoting healthy weight in primary school children through physical activity and nutrition education: a pragmatic evaluation of the CHANGE! randomised intervention study.
Fairclough SJ, Hackett AF, Davies IG, Gobbi R, Mackintosh KA, Warburton GL, Stratton G, van Sluijs EM, Boddy LM. Fairclough SJ, et al. BMC Public Health. 2013 Jul 2;13:626. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-626. BMC Public Health. 2013. PMID: 23819701 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial. - Four-Year Accelerometry Outcomes from a Cluster Randomized Whole of Systems Trial of Prevention Strategies for Childhood Obesity.
Strugnell C, Crooks N, Gaskin CJ, Becker D, Orellana L, Bolton KA, Fraser P, Brown AD, Le H, Bell C, Allender S. Strugnell C, et al. Child Obes. 2023 Jul;19(5):332-340. doi: 10.1089/chi.2022.0076. Epub 2022 Aug 5. Child Obes. 2023. PMID: 35930254 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial. - Interventions to increase the consumption of water among children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Franse CB, Boelens M, Fries LR, Constant F, van Grieken A, Raat H. Franse CB, et al. Obes Rev. 2020 Jul;21(7):e13015. doi: 10.1111/obr.13015. Epub 2020 Mar 13. Obes Rev. 2020. PMID: 32167233 Free PMC article. - Assessment of a school-based intervention in eating habits and physical activity in school children: the AVall study.
Llargues E, Franco R, Recasens A, Nadal A, Vila M, Pérez MJ, Manresa JM, Recasens I, Salvador G, Serra J, Roure E, Castells C. Llargues E, et al. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2011 Oct;65(10):896-901. doi: 10.1136/jech.2009.102319. Epub 2011 Mar 12. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2011. PMID: 21398682 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical